English basic verb tenses, including Simple Past, Past Continuous, Simple Present, Present Continuous, Present perfect, Future (will and be going to). Adapted from a presentation I downloaded from Shawn Toh (thanks Shawn!) which was a bit too detailed for my third grade students.

2. change in pitch or tone of
voice.
Tense [těns]
A category of verbal inflection expressing the time at, during,
or over which a state or action denoted by a verb occurs.

3. Past
Present
Future

4. Past tense expresses action, activity
and state of being in the past

5. Simple Past expresses the idea
that an action started
at a specific time in the past.
and finished

6. Henry
arrived at the airport.
Past
Present
Future
Completed action in the past

7. finished my
lunch, went to the
beach, and found a
I
nice place to swim.
Past
Present
Future
A series of completed actions

8. studied
Richard
astronautical
engineering for three years.
Past
Present
Future
Duration in the past

9. Past
Present
Future
Past Facts or Generalizations

10. were
Dinosaurs
once the dominant
terrestrial vertebrate animals.
Past
Present
Future
Past Facts or Generalizations

11. When-Clauses
Always happen first

12. When-Clauses
They can be positioned at beginning or at the end of a sentence

13. When-Clauses
She answered my question when I paid her one dollar.
When I paid her one dollar, she answered my question.

14. pay then answer
When-Clauses
She answered my question when I paid her one dollar.
When I paid her one dollar, she answered my question.

15. When-Clauses
She answered my question when I paid her one dollar.
I paid her one dollar when she answered my question.

16. pay then answer
When-Clauses
She answered my question when I paid her one dollar.
I paid her one dollar when she answered my question.
answer then pay

17. Use
Past Continuous to
indicate that a longer action
in the past
was interrupted. The interruption is
usually a shorter action in the Simple Past.

18. were driving
We
through
the desert when our car suddenly
broke down.
Past
Present
Future
Interrupted action in the past

19. were busily
typing, some were talking on the phones, the boss
was yelling, and customers were waiting to be
When I walked into the office, several people
helped.
Past
Present
Future
Parallel actions

20. Present tense expresses
action, activity and state of being in the present

21. Use the
Simple Present to
express the idea that an action is repeated
or usual.

22. eat breakfast every morning at
6:30. I go to work every day.
I
Past
Present
Future
Repeated Actions

23. The earth
revolves
around the sun.
Past
Present
Future
Facts or Generalizations

24. Present
Continuous
Use the
with
Normal Verbs to express the idea that
something is happening now, at
this very moment. It can also be used to
show that something is not happening
now.

25. Past
Present
Future
Actions in progress now
am
sitting
I
down, because I
am tired.

26. Past
Present
Future
Actions happening around now,
and not necessarily this very moment
is studying
Sally
really
hard for her exams this week.

27. Past
Present
Future
Near future
am seeing my dentist on
I
Wednesday.

28. She is loving this chocolate ice cream.
✖

29. It is important to remember that NonContinuous Verbs cannot be used in any
continuous tenses. Also, certain noncontinuous meanings for Mixed Verbs
cannot be used in continuous tenses.
Instead of using Present Continuous with
these verbs, you must use Simple
Present.
She loves this chocolate ice cream.

30. Non-Continuous
Verbs are usually things you
cannot see somebody doing. These
verbs are rarely used in continuous
tenses.
Abstract Verbs
to be, to want, to cost, to seem, to need, to care, to contain, to owe, to exist...
Possession Verbs
to possess, to own, to belong...
Emotion Verbs
to like, to love, to hate, to dislike, to fear, to envy, to mind…

31. Mixed Verbs have
more than one meaning. In a
way, each meaning is a unique verb.
Some meanings behave like "NonContinuous Verbs," while other
meanings behave like "Normal
Verbs."
Mixed Verbs
to appear, to feel, to have, to hear, to look, to see, to weigh...

32. Use
Present Perfect
to express action that has been
completed with respect to the present.

33. Past
Present
Future
Unspecified time before now
have
seen
I
already
that
film. I do not want to see it again.

34. I went to Mexico last year.

35. I went to Mexico in the
calendar year before this
one.
I went to Mexico last year.

36. I have been to Mexico in the last year.

37. I have been to Mexico at
least once at some point
between 365 days ago and
now.
I have been to Mexico in the last year.
"Last year" and "in the last year" are very different in meaning. "Last year"
means the year before now, and it is considered a specific time which
requires Simple Past. "In the last year" means from 365 days ago until now.
It is not considered a specific time, so it requires Present Perfect.

38. Present Perfect
Present Perfect
Continuous
Use
or
to refer to an
event that may
or may not be
finished when its effect can be
seen now.

39. has studied
Richard
astronautical engineering for three
years.
Past
Present
Future
Duration in the past until now

40. has lived in Istanbul
Tony
since 2007.
Past
Present
Future
Duration from the past until now

41. Wang has been a
student at ITCG Fermi for
over two years.
Past
Present
Future
Duration from the past until now

42. Past
Present
Future
Duration from the past until now
Look! It
has been snowing.

43. Sam has been having his car for two years.
✖

44. It is important to remember that NonContinuous Verbs cannot be used in
any continuous tenses. Also, certain
non-continuous meanings for Mixed
Verbs cannot be used in continuous
tenses. Instead of using Present
Perfect Continuous with these
verbs, you must use Present Perfect.
Sam has had his car for two years.

45. Future tense expresses
action, activity and state of being in the future

46. Simple Future
has two
different forms in English: "will" and "be going
to." Both "will" and "be going to" refer to a
specific time in the future.

47. If I am elected President
of the United States, I
will make sure
everyone has access to
inexpensive health
insurance.
Past
Present
Future
"Will" to express a promise

48. When you will arrive tonight, we will go out for dinner.
✖

49. No Future in Time Clauses
Like all future forms, the Simple
Future cannot be used in clauses
beginning with time expressions
such as: when, while, before, after, by
the time, as soon as, if, unless, etc.
Instead of Simple Future, Simple
Present is used.
Correct sentences:
When you arrive tonight, we will go out for dinner.
If you come on time, we will go out for dinner.
If you are tired, we won’t go out.
We will go out for dinner, unless you are too tired.

50. English Page
http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbtenseintro.html
English Grammar Reference and Exercises
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar
Play with the Irregular Verb Wheel:
http://www.macmillandictionary.com/verb_wheel/
References